Cosmetic Dentistry Blog

Do you have a hard time getting your children to brush their teeth? Is it a battle every time? This task may seem simple enough, until you have to pry open your sweet toddler's mouth on the day he has determined that he no longer wants you to brush his teeth! If you, like most parents, have experienced some difficulty getting your child to cooperate, then try these helpful, affordable dental hints.

Using the child's interests to your advantage works wonders. There are many affordable dental products available that are attractive to children -- you can find an affordable dental toothbrush and affordable dental toothpaste with almost any character that your child loves to watch on TV. If your child has an emotional bond to Minnie Mouse, then buy her an affordable dental toothbrush shaped like Minnie, and when it is time to brush her teeth, let her know that Minnie Mouse wants to help her get her teeth clean!

Try to make your child's brushing experience as fun as possible. If your children like to sing, then create a special song to sing to them for the duration of the brushing. A brushing song also gives them a time frame for how long they should be brushing. Many children want to briskly swipe the toothbrush across their teeth once and call it good -- having a song or chant ready will help them to be a little more thorough.

Letting your kids know that plaque causes cavities that hurt and make it hard to eat might encourage them to be preventive with their dental care for a healthier, more affordable dental future. Contact us today should you need to set up your next dental appointment and be sure to check our out pediatric dental page for more information on children and dental care.

Oral cancer or medically known as oral cavity cancer, is any type of cancerous tissue development which is located in the oral cavity. It can originate in any tissues of the tongue and mouth which could be of any histolgic type (tumor) - teratoma, melanoma, adenocarcinoma, lymphoma or any other lymphoid tissue. Below are a few symptoms of oral cancer that you should be aware of:

• Red and white patches inside the mouth and lips
• Sore lip
• Mouth bleeding
• Loose teeth
• Difficulty or pain when swallowing
• Difficulty wearing dentures
• Neck lump
• Pain in the ears

Almost 90% of oral cancer cases are carcinomas, originating mostly in the mouth and lips. These Squamous carcinomas are malignant tumors which spreads rapidly within nasal cavity, sinus and to the head and neck. The mortality rate for oral cancer is 35%. The reason why there is a low mortality rate for this type of cancer is that because most cases are not detected early. Prevention is the key to avoid this dreaded disease. Below are some known risk factors:

1. History of neck and head cancer
People who have had a experienced neck and head cancer are much prone in developing another cancer type or ordinary disease located in the head and neck.

2. Tobacco
Smoking is the number one cause for oral cancer. Any type of tobacco products like cigarette, pipes and cigars all can cause cancer. People who are heavy smokers are at higher risk for this disease.

3. Alcohol
Alcohol contributes highly to this type of cancer especially if the patient is a smoker or using any type of tobacco. Alcohol abuse can fasten the development of cancer by three folds than those people who don't drink.

Most importantly we have a machine called the Velscope that can detect a cancer below the surface up to 5 years before it becomes visibly noticeable.  This can save a person from having major reconstructive surgery which will alter their face (like the recent case of Robert Ebert from Siskel and Ebert movie critics).  He lost his whole lower face and can't speak.  The Velscope can help in catching cancer early and preventing these situations.


Oral cancer is a silent type of cancer disease which is deadly and life threatening. The only solution is to avoid this risk factors at all cost. The most known factor is tobacco so better cease smoking from now on to prevent any diseases such as this. Prevention is better than cure, take note of that! Contact us today if you or a loved one has any of the symptoms listed above. Also its best that when you schedule your next appointment that you talk with your dentist about oral cancer and more prevention methods.